31st. A Mr. H. Howe, of Worcester, Mass.,
writes, wishing to be informed of same stream of the
Upper Mississippi, having sufficient water power,
with pine timber, and means of ready issue into the
Mississippi, to furnish a suitable site for a saw-mill.
The question is readily answered: there are many
such, but it is entirely Indian country, and cannot
be entered for such a purpose without violating the
Indian intercourse act, which it is a part of my duty,
as an Indian Agent, to enforce. It would be a
trespass, subjecting him to a suit in the U.S.
District Court. I replied to him, stating these
views.

April 7th. The dispute with Ohio, respecting
our southern boundary, grows warmer, and is fomented,
on her part, by speculators in public lands on the
western shores of Maumee Bay. Otherwise it could
be easily settled. The mere historical and geographical
question, as founded on the language of the Ordinance
of 1787, would appear to leave the right with Michigan.
Ohio legislation, or constitutional encroachment, could
not surely overrule an act of Congress. “The
difficulty with Ohio,” says Major W., of Detroit,
“is of a threatening character. It is not
now, perhaps, any nearer adjustment that at any previous
stage, although pacificators have been sent on by
the President. But the ’million of freemen’
State does not think it comports with her dignity to
desist, or vacate Michigan, is prepared for war, and
is determined to proceed to blood if need be.
Gov. Cass will be here, it is said on good authority,
in May or June. Political divisions here, unfortunately,
run too high for a proper convention. Party feeling
has governed exclusively, in a case where they, perhaps,
can have no operation. Whoever goes into the
convention will probably have nearly the same views,
and it would have been well to have sent the best
and most intelligent. But, on the whole, probably
three-fourths of the members will find it as new business
as if they were to undertake astronomy.”

14th. Charles Fotheringay, of Toronto,
U.C., issues and forwards a circular headed “Lyceum
of Natural History and the Fine Arts.” The
object is to found, in that city, a cabinet which shall
do justice to the claims of science and philosophical
learning on this subject.

CHAPTER LIV.

Requirements of a missionary laborer—­Otwin—­American
quadrupeds—­Geological question—­Taste
of an Indian chief for horticulture—­Swiss
missionaries to the Indians—­Secretary of
War visits the island—­Frivolous literary,
diurnal, and periodical press—­Letter of
Dr. Ives on this topic—­Lost boxes of minerals
and fresh-water shells—­Geological visit
of Mr. Featherstonehaugh and Lieut. Mather—­Mr.
Hastings—­A theological graduate.